I used to think agave nectar was the perfect sweetener because some raw foodists I trusted introduced me to it. Finally, it seemed like a great unrefined alternative to sugar and honey! But a year or so ago I did some research and discovered that it's not all it's cracked up to be - how disappointing! And over time, I learned that all unrefined sugars have some drawbacks - I outline the details in this article on Organic Authority.

In an effort to help people around the country find healthy foods no matter what stores are within reach and what the budget is, I've been exploring the options at national grocery markets. I started out with Kroger's Food Co, but wasn't able to find much at that discount warehouse. So my expectations were low when I ventured into a Safeway in San Francisco (16th & Bryant), but boy was I in for a surprise! This location has at least 100 vegan options, most of which are organic and many are gluten-free! Here are some of the highlights:

I wasn't a big beer fan until a couple years ago. Don't know what happened, but suddenly I liked it. Especially Fat Tire by New Belgium (totally eco-vegan!). When I went gluten-free I got even more into beer, probably because of the novelty of finding the best GF options. That came to a halt when I started a cleanse back in April and I haven't felt the desire to drink much of it since. However, my boyfriend LOVES beer and drinks it like water, which got me curious about the health effects - what are the pros and cons of it? I explored the topic for my recent Organic Authority article called, "The Lowdown: Is Beer A Healthy Drink?"

Check out the piece then let me know what you think - do you like beer? Do your prefer wine? Or are you alcohol free?

I can't remember the last time I bought something out of a vending machine, so today when I saw one I decided to check out the options inside - grim as I imagined. However, several people I was in a meeting with went up and made purchases because they were hungry and wanted something instant. I remember what that felt like - examining the choices, weighing out the health effects versus what flavors I was craving, and ultimately deciding to splurge and get something sweet or salty. It's sad that these machines prey on our moment of weakness and offer up foods meant to manipulate our eyes and our tongues... Since that is the current reality, then here are some ways to make the healthiest decision, and the top choices from this particular vending machine.

Don't be fooled by the salad selection at restaurants, especially the chains - not all salads are created equally! You wouldn't believe the calorie count and unhealthy ingredients in many of them. Check out this list of the Top 5 Healthy Salads at Sit-Down Chain Restaurants in an article I wrote for Organic Authority. *I did mention some salads that are on the menu with animal products in them, but they can be vegan if requested.

Yep, that was me almost 10 years ago, 1 year before I went vegan. While that was probably the heaviest I ever was, I have always struggled with my weight. Here is the story behind my journey to find a healthy diet that helped me learn how to understand and love my body. The following video includes more before and after pictures and videos.

While at the Natural Products Expo West this year I had the opportunity to interview the founder, president and face behind Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods: Bob Moore himself! He spoke about the importance of whole grains in the diet, his vast gluten-free offerings, organic options, where his ingredients come from (how far from the base near Portland, OR), and the sustainability of the company. Bob is a very sweet and sincere man - my favorite quote from him is the very last one in the video about life as an 82 year old! I hope you enjoy this interview!

A very common question I receive is, "where can I find natural food?", especially when it comes to unique recipe ingredients. My answer is typically to go to your local natural market or buy online. Availability really depends on where you live, so I did a poll on the EVG Facebook page & Twitter to find out where my community shops, and here are their answers (it's quite the list!):